HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Read Before Packet - 03/04/2025 - Memorandum from Dana Hornkohl re Engineering Department Capital Projects Follow-Up from February 18, 2025, City Council Regular MeetingEngineering Department
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MEMORANDUM
Date: February 28, 2025
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
From: Dana Hornkohl, Capital Projects Manager
Subject: Engineering Department Capital Projects Follow-Up
February 18, 2025, City Council Regular Meeting
BOTTOM LINE
At the February 18, 2025, City Council regular meeting there was a question from
Councilmember Ohlson concerning agenda item no. 12. Paraphrasing, is this the same
streetscape project that was discussed at Council Finance Committee and Council Work
Session that did not rate very highly in our Community Capital Improvement Program (CCIP)
renewal and Transportation Capital Improvement (TCI) discussions? Yes, the Willow Street
Improvements – Linden Street to Lincoln Avenue (Project) was one of the streetscape projects
that was discussed in these conversations with City Council.
While the Project was not highly prioritized for the TCI or CCIP renewal efforts, there is a
development submitting for conceptual development review at 360 Linden Street that has
significant frontage along Willow Street within the limits of the Project. Preparing a design for
this section of Willow Street will provide necessary guidance to this and subsequent developers.
Operationally, redevelopment has driven many of the improvements within the River District and
City. The design will identify the proposed streetscape improvements for this corridor and help
determine what improvements will be the developer’s responsibility for constructing or for
providing financial participation.
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has expressed interest in participating financially
in the preparation of a design for the Project. The City can minimize the funding needed to
prepare the streetscape design with a willing partner in the DDA, future development
Docusign Envelope ID: 6AB58451-3D50-4193-97ED-BC9BF262B926
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contributions, as well as the identified development contribution from the Bas Bleu Development
(agenda item no.12).
Willow Street, between Linden Street and Lincoln Avenue is a unique corridor with an existing
railroad spur, need for active modes improvements, and on-street parking needs to help spur
redevelopment. Authorizing the appropriation of the development contribution would allow the
City to begin critical negotiations with OmniTRAX concerning the existing railroad spur in this
section of Willow Street.
BACKGROUND
The River District Streetscape Improvements Project Plan (dated August 1, 2008) envisions a
consistent and comprehensive streetscape approach within the River District, and the Project is
within the identified plan area. As the River District has redeveloped, the City and the DDA have
sought to prepare streetscape designs for section of the River District ahead of, and in
conjunction with proposed redevelopment. The City and the DDA have partnered to deliver the
design and eventual construction of two streetscape improvement projects within the River
District: 1) Linden Street Improvements – Jefferson Street to the Poudre River and 2) Willow
Street Improvements – Linden Street to the BNSF railroad. Both projects saw significant
financial participation from the DDA and development within the corridors.
NEXT STEPS
The City is working with the DDA to prepare an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to partner
on the streetscape design for the Project. It is anticipated that the IGA would be brought before
City Council at the April 1, 2025, regular meeting seeking authorization to execute the IGA and
appropriate addition funding from various sources, including remaining funding from the
completed Willow Street project (Linden to BNSF) and DDA contributions.
CC: Caryn Champine, Director of Planning, Development & Transportation
Brad Buckman, City Engineering
John Gerwel, Civil Engineer I
Marc Virata, Senior Manager, Civil Engineering
Ginny Sawyer, Lead Project Manager
Docusign Envelope ID: 6AB58451-3D50-4193-97ED-BC9BF262B926